The Subaru Outback
door panel had several hidden screws.
Before
starting, auto body mechanic Jim Wilk rolled the window down.
Jim removed
the speaker cover by prying on it with a tack
puller.
This cover
just popped off.
Then Jim pried on the
speaker assembly. This was held in place with 3
small rubber snaps.
Then he
disconnected the electrical connector and set
the speaker aside so it wouldn't get damaged.
Near the front of the door
panel, Jim removed a push clip by prying it out.
Don't Do This:
Even experienced body shop
professionals get tripped-up sometimes.
It looked like this door latch
needed to be removed.
So Jim pried up
the cover to expose a screw, which he removed.
Very logical, of course... but
not necessary.
It turned out that this
outer trim ring needed to be removed.
Jim used a small prybar to
push on the tabs that held this piece in place.
The red arrows point to the
four holes that connect with the tabs on the
backer piece.
The armrest had
a screw hidden behind a cover.
Jim removed the
screw with a Phillips screwdriver.
There was one more screw,
which the average person would n-e-v-e-r find...
behind the window/door switch panel.
Jim used a pry bar to remove
the switch, but there was a trick... he had to
slide the entire switch panel downhill
about 1/8 inch and then it popped free.
BUT... to avoid damaging the
surface of the switch panel, Jim reached
underneath the panel with his prybar and
pushed on a small lip in the back of the
plastic panel.
Once the switch panel was
free, Jim disconnected the wires.
There was a second electrical
connector. Jim used a small flat screwdriver to
release the connector...
...then Jim was able to remove
the final Phillips-head screw that held the door
panel to the door shell.
With all the
fasteners removed, Jim used a door removal tool
to pry the push clips out of the steel door
shell.
After the clips
were released, Jim removed the door panel by
lifting it upwards.
Note that this is much easier
if the window is rolled down first.
Jim disconnected
the "courtesy" light at the bottom rear of the
door panel.
An inside view
of the Subaru Outback door. The clear plastic
can be peeled back to access the power window
mechanism, the door handle and latch, the power
door unit, the speakers, and anything else
inside the door.
A view of the
back side of the Outback door panel. Note the
small white dots around the perimeter of the
door panel... these are the plastic clips that
hold the panel to the metal door shell.
